Ithaca is hilly, so many people have considered getting some form of power assist on a bike — either buying a motorized bike or adding a motor to an existing bike. There are many pros and cons, but one overriding consideration emerges in this account by Tim Joseph:
When I was a County Legislator my commute to work was about 2.5 miles. I had long wanted to bike to work, but the trip included a one mile climb up a very steep hill (Elm St.). That’s ok as a serious workout, but neither the time nor the sweat fit my idea of commuting back and forth to work. Two years ago I acquired a mountain bike with a motor assist. Downhill and across the flats I peddled the bike and made it to work in 10 minutes, the same time it took to drive. Going home I peddled across the flats, then fired up the engine to climb the hill. I still had to peddle up the hill, but the motor made it about the same as peddling on flat ground. The trip home took 15 minutes. It was moderate exercise both ways, but I didn’t arrive dripping sweat. It was a great solution for me and I figured the bike gets about 150 mpg when the motor is running.
When I was appointed to a job in State Parks I thought I would probably have to give up biking to work since it is over 10 miles, and I’m not willing to spend 2 hours a day commuting. I found though, that with the motor, I could do it in half an hour each way. I was just getting into the rhythm and enjoying the weather, when I was told by a police officer that my bike was illegal and I’d have to stop riding it. The person who sold me the bike said that it was not considered a motor vehicle and didn’t need to be registered. It turns out that’s not exactly right. Any vehicle with a motor, either electric, gas, or any other fuel, is a motor vehicle under the law. Motor assisted bicycles, however, cannot be registered and are not legal to use on the road in NY. Some states, and other countries, recognize motor assisted bicycles as a separate category that can be used on the road without being registered. They generally limit either the power of the motor or the speed that it is capable of on flat ground using the motor alone.
So I won’t be biking to work on May 16 or any other day. Anyone interested in organizing to change the law? Motor assisted bicycles are becoming increasingly popular and greatly increase both the distance and the terrain over which routine travel by bicycle becomes practical for ordinary people. They need to be legitimized and welcomed.
Tim Joseph
Regional Director
Finger Lakes State Parks
May 8th, 2008 at 6:20 pm
The New York Bicycling Coalition has followed the State Legislature on this matter. Click here: http://assembly.state.ny.us/leg/?bn=A00189 for the latest information on the Assembly Bill
May 17th, 2008 at 1:28 pm
Tim, A little over a year ago I dug into electric motors for bicycles on the internet so that I could ride five miles from West Hill to Cornell. I purchased a kit with 600 Watt motor built right into the hub of the front wheel, and have been using it religiously to commute (weather permitting) ever since. I love it…It really flattens the hills, like your motor, is quiet, easy to recharge, has plenty of range to make the roundtrip, and is a lot of fun. I get just enough excercise to enjoy, and more if I choose! I have never been stopped, whether because the police don’t notice it, or are aware of the superseding law that apparently came out last year. I believe this makes it legal to ride electric bikes, and beyond the jurisdiction of the states to prohibit their use.
Considering the perilous state of the planet, as car use explodes in much of the developing world, I do not take lightly laws that dictate or intimidate people into having a larger carbon footprint than they want. Even if the laws are not enforced there is an enormous amount of confusion about the laws pertaining to this issue that discourages many people from taking up electric cycling, and that is a shame. I love this form of transportation enough that I have been working to get people to adopt it, by coaching their selection, purchase, installation and use of these motors. So far I have gotten 7 people on them, and have a number interested and exploring the options. I am getting together a posse to ride in the Ithaca Festival Parade to promote them, and have made a movie about them that I showed at the “TimetoChill” Ithaca Earth Day Amateur Film Festival in April 2008. The film is appropriately called “Buffalo Street” and will be available on YouTube as soon as I get my act together and submit it.
Here is the information on the Law. Anyone interested can contact me at dpm9@cornell.edu. I can send the original PDF document as an attachment in reply. Anyone interested in pursuing the legality of this further can count on my support.
Sincerely,
David McCobb
dpm9@cornell.edu
LOW-SPEED ELECTRIC BICYCLES
SEC. 38. (a) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, low-speed electric bicycles
are consumer products within the meaning of section 3(a)(1) and shall be subject to
the Commission regulations published at section 1500.18(a)(12) and part 1512 of
title 16, Code of Federal Regulations.
(b) For the purpose of this section, the term `low-speed electric bicycle’ means a two-or three-wheeled vehicle with fully operable pedals and an electric motor of less
than 750 watts (1 h.p.), whose maximum speed on a paved level surface, when
powered solely by such a motor while ridden by an operator who weighs 170
pounds, is less than 20 mph.
(c) To further protect the safety of consumers who ride low-speed electric bicycles,
the Commission may promulgate new or amended requirements applicable to such
vehicles as necessary and appropriate.
(d) This section shall supersede any State law or requirement with respect to low-
speed electric bicycles to the extent that such State law or requirement is more
stringent than the Federal law or requirements referred to in subsection (a).
LOW-SPEED ELECTRIC BICYCLES
SEC. 38. (a) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, low-speed electric bicycles
are consumer products within the meaning of section 3(a)(1) and shall be subject to
the Commission regulations published at section 1500.18(a)(12) and part 1512 of
title 16, Code of Federal Regulations.
(b) For the purpose of this section, the term `low-speed electric bicycle’ means a two-or three-wheeled vehicle with fully operable pedals and an electric motor of less
than 750 watts (1 h.p.), whose maximum speed on a paved level surface, when
powered solely by such a motor while ridden by an operator who weighs 170
pounds, is less than 20 mph.
(c) To further protect the safety of consumers who ride low-speed electric bicycles,
the Commission may promulgate new or amended requirements applicable to such
vehicles as necessary and appropriate.
(d) This section shall supersede any State law or requirement with respect to low-
speed electric bicycles to the extent that such State law or requirement is more
stringent than the Federal law or requirements referred to in subsection (a).
Federal Electric Bicycle Law HR 727
SECTION 1. CONSUMER PRODUCT SAFETY ACT.
The Consumer product Safety Act (15 U.S.C. 2051 et seq) is amended by added at the
end of the following: Electric Bicycle Regulations
· Federal law says that an electrically driven bicycle is considered a “bicycle” and the laws of bicycles apply if:
o Electrically driven bicycle has less than 750 watt motor
o Functional pedals
o Max speed is less than 20mph
· The Federal law shall supersede any State law or requirement with respect to low-speed electric bicycles. (The state must regulate the electric bicycle as a bicycle)
· Federal definition of a bicycle
o Sec. 1512.2. [Amended]
§ 2. Amend Sec. 1512.2, to revise paragraph (a) to read as follows:
(a) Bicycle means:
“We recommend you laminate this sheet and keep with you when riding”